Clothes hangers

ABSTRACT

A clothes hanger comprises a garment support surface that is substantially greater in diameter as compared with conventional clothes hangers thereby supporting garments without creasing or otherwise damaging the garments. A clothes hanger comprises wings supported for sliding movement along a hanger support rod. The wings engage interior surfaces of garments thereby supporting the garments without damage. A garment transportation and storage device comprises a support rod at the bottom, a hook at the top, and a ball-shaped handle between the support rod and the hook for transporting garments supported on the support rod by hangers and for engaging the hook with a support structure.

CLAIM OF PRIORITY

Applicant claims priority based on provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/659,248 filed Mar. 7, 2005, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to clothes hangers, and more particularly to improved clothes hangers which prevent creases and fabric wear in articles of clothing supported thereby.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

When pants are cleaned by a laundry or dry cleaning service they are traditionally returned hung over a clothes hanger having a cardboard garment support tube. If the pants are left on the clothes hanger for an extended period of time a crease is formed at the point where the pants engage the garment support tube. Further, the cardboard support tube traditionally has a light adhesive coating which retains the pants on the hanger; however the coating can adversely affect the pile of the fabric and eventually degrade the appearance thereof.

Other items of clothing such as shorts, skirts, scarves, and linens are also returned on traditional hangers. As described above, the cardboard support tube can imprint a crease on these and other clothing items and the adhesive coating can damage articles comprising delicate fabrics.

The present invention comprises improvements in the art of clothes hanger design which overcome the foregoing and other difficulties which have long since characterized the prior art. In accordance with a first embodiment of the invention the effective diameter of the support surface of an otherwise traditional clothes hanger is substantially increased thereby substantially reducing the likelihood that garments supported on the clothes hanger will become creased and eliminating the necessity of an adhesive layer for securing garments in engagement with the support surface. The effective diameter of the support surface of a hanger may be increased either by surrounding the cardboard support tube with a layer of plastic foam or by wrapping a fabric layer around the support tube.

In accordance with a second embodiment of the invention an otherwise conventional clothes hanger of the type comprising a plastic frame, a metal support rod secured on the plastic frame, and spring loaded clips for retaining garments on the metal support rod is provided with a pair of garment supporting wings. The wings are slidably supported on the support rod and extend laterally outwardly to engage opposed interior surfaces of skirts and similar garments. In this manner the garments are supported on the hanger without danger of creasing.

A related problem comprises the fact that clothes are often returned from the laundry or dry cleaners supported on a plurality of hangers. As is well known to consumers, handling a plurality of garments supported on a plurality of hangers is awkward at best. Also, it is virtually impossible to support a plurality of hangers from the small coat hooks that are typically found in automobiles.

In accordance with a third embodiment of the invention a clothes hanger transporting device comprises a hook at the top, a support rod at the bottom, and a ball-shaped handle positioned between the hook and the support rod to facilitate carrying a plurality of hanger support garments and to facilitate engaging the hook a support structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

-   -   A more complete understanding of the present invention may be         had by reference to the following Detailed Description when         taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a clothes hanger comprising a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger comprising a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clothes hanger comprising a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the clothes hanger of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a portion of the clothes hanger of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a garment transportation device comprising a third embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a clothes hanger 10 comprising a first embodiment of the invention. The clothes hanger 10 comprises a conventional clothes hanger 12 including a length of wire 14 comprising an upper hook portion 16 extending to a twisted portion 18 which in turn extends to a pair of downwardly and outwardly extending arms 20 terminating in support members 22. A cardboard garment support tube 24 extends between the support members 22 and is supported thereby.

As is well known, utilization of the hanger 10 and similar clothes hangers in the transportation and storage of garments incorporates inherent difficulties. First, the cardboard garment support tube 24 defines a relatively small diameter garment support surface which tends to form creases in garments supported thereon for even a short period of time. Second, the cardboard garment support tube 24 is frequently provided with a light adhesive coating which can damage delicate fabrics and can also damage more durable fabrics if supported on the clothes hanger 10 over an extended period of time.

In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention a soft sponge rubber tube 26 is received on and supported by the cardboard tube 24. The soft sponge rubber tube 26 substantially increases the effective diameter of the garment support surface of the hanger 10 thereby substantially decreasing the probability that garments supported thereon will be creased. Additionally, the soft sponge rubber tube 26 does not require a light adhesive coating as does the cardboard tube 24 thereby eliminating the possibility of damage to garments supported on the hanger 10 due to contact thereof with the light adhesive coating which is typically provided on the exterior surface on the cardboard tube 24.

For example, the cardboard garment support tube of a typical clothes hanger has an outside diameter of about ½ inch. The soft sponge rubber tube of the present invention has an outside diameter of about 1.25 inches. Thus, the effective diameter of the garment support surface of the hanger of the present invention is 2½ times as large as the effective diameter of the garment support surface of a conventional clothes hanger.

The soft sponge rubber tube 26 is provided with a radial slit 28 which extends the entire length of the tube 26 thereby facilitating deployment of the tube 26 over the cardboard tube 24. The opposite ends of the slit 28 comprising the tube 26 may be provided with lengths of double sided adhesive tape 30 whereby the ends of the slit are secured against opening during utilization of the hanger 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a clothes hanger 40 comprising a variation of the clothes hanger 10 illustrated in the first sheet of drawings. Many of the component parts of the clothes hanger 40 are substantially identical in construction and function to component parts of the hanger 10. Such identical component parts are designated on the second sheet of drawings with the same reference numerals utilized above in the description of the clothes hanger 10 but are differentiated therefrom by means of a prime (′) designation.

The clothes hanger 40 differs from the clothes hanger 10 in that rather than being provided with a soft sponge rubber tube surrounding the cardboard tube 24′, the clothes hanger 40 is provided with a tube 42 comprising a roll of fabric secured in place by an adhesive layer 44. The function of the tube 42 is to substantially increase the effective diameter of the clothing support surface of the hanger 40. In this manner the likelihood that garments supported by the clothes hanger 40 will be creased during utilization thereof is substantially reduced. Additionally, the tube 42 does not require use of a light adhesive coating as is frequently required in the use of the cardboard tube 24 thereby further diminishing the possibility of damage to garments supported by the clothes hanger 40.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 there is shown a clothes hanger 50 comprising a second embodiment of the invention. The clothes hanger 50 comprises a plastic frame 52 having a metal hook 54 extending upwardly therefrom. A metal support rod 56 extends between and is supported on the opposite ends of the plastic frame 52. A pair of wings 58 are supported on the support rod 56 for longitudinal movement therealong. Each wing 58 is provided with a spring loaded clip 60 which functions to secure the wing at a predetermined location along the support rod 56 depending upon the requirements of particular applications of the invention.

Because the wings 58 are movable inwardly and outwardly on the rod 56, the hanger 50 is adapted for use with garments comprising a wide range of sizes, for example, from size 2 through and including size 20. The inward and outward movement of the wings 58 allows the hanger 50 to support garments thereon with no tension or stretching.

In the utilization of the hanger 50 the plastic wings 58 are moved outwardly until the end surfaces 62 thereof engage interior surfaces of a skirt, a pair of shorts, or other garment. In use, the wings 58 function to secure a garment on the hanger 50 during transportation and storage of the garment. More importantly, the wings 58 function to prevent damage to of the garment during transportation and support thereof on the hanger 50. The use of the hanger 50 facilitates support and transportation of garments with no marking, no clip mark, or other damage as is sometimes experienced in the use of conventional clothes hangers.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown a garment transportation and storage device 70 comprises a third embodiment of the invention. The device 70 comprises length of wire 72 which is formed into a support hook 74 at the upper end thereof. The length of wire 72 extends downwardly from the hook 74 through a central portion 76. At the lower end of the device 70 a length of wire 77 is bent into a triangular configuration 78 thus providing a hanger support rod 80. The hook 74 is rotatably connected to the support rod 80.

A ball-shaped handle 82 is secured around the central section 76 of the length of wire 72, it being understood that other handle configurations can be utilized in the practice of the invention. The handle 82 may comprise a unitary construction formed from molded plastic or molded rubber. Alternatively, the handle 82 may comprise a two part construction which snaps together around the central portion 72 of the length of wire 72 as shown.

In use, the garment transportation device 70 is employed to receive garments from a laundry or dry cleaner. Garments supported on conventional hangers of the type utilized by laundries and dry cleaners are supported on the support rod 80 by engaging the hooks of the hangers therewith in the conventional manner. After the hangers which support all of the garments received from a particular laundry or dry cleaner are engaged with the support rod 80 the handle 82 is utilized to transport the device 70 and the garments supported thereby, for example, from the laundry or dry cleaners to a vehicle. At that point the hook 74 of the device 70 is utilized to support the device 70 and the garments supported thereby from the coat hanger of the vehicle. Another important use of the device 70 is the transportation of garments supported on hangers from a laundry or dry cleaners to a residence in crowded urban areas such as New York City.

Upon arrival at a particular designation the device 70 is utilized to transport the garments supported by the support rod 80 to a storage location, for example, a closet. Once again the handle is utilized to facilitate lifting and carrying the garments supported on the support rod 80. The hook 72 may be utilized to support the garments on a closet rod or the like while the garments are being individually disengaged from the support rod 80. Thereafter the garments are preferably disengaged from the hangers utilized by the laundry or the dry cleaners to deliver garments to customers and are transferred to hangers comprising the present invention, for example, the hangers shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, inclusive, hereof.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention. 

1. For use in conjunction with a clothes hanger of the type including a wire frame comprising a length of wire defining an upper hook portion extending to a twisted portion extending to a pair of outwardly and downwardly extending arms each extending to an inwardly directed support member and a cardboard tube supported by the support members of the wire frame for receiving and supporting clothing items thereon, the cardboard tube defining a garment support surface characterized by a predetermined diameter, the improvement comprising: means supported on the cardboard tube of the hanger for providing a garment support surface characterized by a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the garment support surface defined by the cardboard tube for supporting clothing items on the hanger without causing creasing or damage thereof.
 2. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the means the providing a garment support surface having a substantially increased diameter comprises a soft sponge rubber tube having a tubular passageway extending therethrough which is substantially equal in diameter to that of the cardboard tube and; means for securing the soft sponge rubber tube in surrounding engagement with the cardboard tube of the hanger.
 3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the soft sponge rubber tube is characterized by a radial slit extending the entire length thereof and means located at the ends of the slit for securing the soft sponge rubber tube in surrounding engagement with the cardboard tube.
 4. The improvement according to claim 3 wherein the means providing a garment support surface having a substantially increased diameter comprises a length of fabric wrapped around the cardboard tube.
 5. For use in conjunction with a clothes hanger of the type comprising a plastic frame, a metal support hook extending upwardly from the plastic frame, and a normally horizontally disposed support rod supported on the plastic frame, the improvement comprising: a pair of opposed wings supported on the support rod of the hanger for engagement with opposed interior surfaces of a garment; and means for securing the opposed wings at predetermined locations along the length of the support rod of the hanger.
 6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein the wings comprise elongate, normally vertically disposed end surfaces for engagement with interior surfaces of a garment.
 7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein the means for securing the wings at predetermined locations lengthwise along the support rod comprises spring loaded clips mounted on the wings for gripping engagement with the support rod of the hanger.
 8. An apparatus for transporting a plurality of clothing items each supported on a clothes hanger comprising: a normally horizontally disposed support rod for receiving and supporting a plurality of clothes hangers each having at least one clothing item supported thereon; a semicircular hook operatively connected to the support rod and positioned thereabove for supporting the support rod and clothing items supported thereon from a supporting structure; and a handle disposed between and operatively connected to the support rod and the hook for use in transporting clothing items supported on the support rod.
 9. The device according to claim 8 wherein the hook is rotatably connected to the support rod.
 10. The device according to claim 8 wherein the handle is spherical in shape. 